How GF friendly is France?

I have a friend in Paris who is gluten free whom I am having for dinner this weekend and I am staying in Batignolles and checked out several grocery stores today hoping to find gluten free crackers without success. When we stay in the 13th there is a bio store on Tolbiac which does have a few GF things and one of the grocery stores -- a small Carrefour has a GF section -- and so I was surprised how difficult it is here. We once found a bakery with GF bread, but again not easy. I hope someone will come on here with some suggestions. I will try Rue Levis in my quest tomorrow.

I can cook GF -- having rabbit in mustard sauce with a recipe that involves no flour for thickeniing of the sauce but want to have crackers or bread she can use with cheese that are safe for her.

I know there is GF to be found but, since I'm not GF, I haven't made note of where exactly. I do know many grocery stores have GF sections (ours has a pretty big section) and some (not a lot but some) bakeries around us offer GF selection. I've also, on occassion, seen GF options on menus at restaurants. So, I would imagine if it's around Bordeaux, you should be able to find it by Paris. I would look at The Fork app and search for GF options as a place to start.

The best chance to find GF breads and products in bakeries is in organic bakeries.

I found one in Bayeux:

Le Fournil de Saint-Loup - Litzellmann

3 Rue Saint-Loup

https://maps.app.goo.gl/jcuLjPZkctdk4cEv8

For all other GF food products, you'll generally find them in organic stores.

Look for "Bio" stores.

In the Batignolles area in Paris, Boulangerie Chambelland - Batignolles, at 43 Rue Brochant, is a bakery with GF products.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YdoFPZGkSTftyW1a9

PS: The recipe for rabbit in mustard sauce doesn't require flour; it's the crème fraîche that thickens the sauce. To thicken a sauce, you can replace the flour with "Maizena" which is 100% gluten-free.

The Real Emily in Paris eats gluten free and has blogged about it, including places she's eaten. You might check her posts.

You might like to look at Wheatless Wanderlust. He has a post on where to find gluten products and restaurants in Paris. He also has a post on general Europe.

Chambelland is an excellent gluten free bakery in Paris (11th) and I’m sure there are others. Restaurants will usually have some options or the ability to make adjustments, and a creperie bretonne (Breizh Café is highly regarded but I haven’t been yet) can always be relied on to have buckwheat crepes.

I can recommend Breizh Cafe for delicious savory crepes. Buckwheat flour is traditional for the crepes, but I don't know if they add some wheat flour for a smoother crepe. (Probably not.) There are several in Paris and the dishes are yummy. They are reasonably priced meals, popular with the locals (from my experience). Bon appetit!

To Janet and JoLui, Thanks for the rabbit idea! Now I have to find a source for some rabbit. I will have to go a bit far afield from my house to find it. The creme fraiche in the mustard (Dijon?) sauce sounds nice. Yum

I checked menus for a couple of Breizh Café locations (there are a dozen or so in Paris alone) and both have explicitly labelled gf selections (galettes — buckwheat) as well as crepes (wheat).

https://www.breizhcafe.com

I will second the website wheatlesswanderlust.com, he reviews 100% gluten free establishments. A helpful app I use is 'Find Me Gluten Free'. When you are looking at restaurants and menus you like, save them on a dedicated google map with any notes about the menu. You can also search you-tube videos as there are a few travel bloggers who review gluten free restaurants and bakeries. On trip advisor you can search restaurants and select gluten free options. That is a little hit or miss on if they have extensive gluten free items on their menu, but it's still a good resource. I usually go to the reviews and search the word 'gluten' to narrow down the reviews. There are places available in Giverny and Bayeux too. I'm leaving for France tomorrow for a couple weeks, so I just went through the process of creating my dining options map. We are spending 1 week throughout Normandy and the second week in Paris. I will try to report back!

While I'm not someone who requires food sans gluten, I met up with some friends last month in Paris and their daughter has issues with it. However, we found that while she could overdo it, most products like bread, crepes, etc. posed no problems in moderation. We have pretty much put it down to the differences in flours and other materials, which in the EU are not the same as those used commercially in the USA.

Thanks everyone! I am encouraged!

janettravels44, Thank you for your response, your rabbit in mustard sauce recipe sounds delicious! I realize bread with meals is essential in French cuisine, if you cannot find her a GF baguette, perhaps your friend might like rice or potatoes instead. I have a difficult time finding GF crackers in the US too, depending on the state. I will probably bring a small package with me for my flight and emergencies.

KimberlySEA, Great idea about using the Fork app! I haven’t tried that one yet.

JoLui, Thank you for the organic Bayeux bakery. I will check it out when we are staying there. And thanks for the tip on “bio stores” I have never heard of that, grateful to know that.

Janet, Thank you! I will check out The Real Emily in Paris.

gord.smoker and khsdc, Thank you for the reminder about Wheatless Wanderlust. I forgot about them! I used them on a trip to BC Canada, they’re great for GF and also lots of good travel advise. I looked and they have a complete guide updated in 2025. I will get into it!

khsdc, Have a great trip!

Siesta, Chambelland GF bakery is on my must do list now! Thanks!

Judy, Breizh Café is also now on my must do list, thank you. I went to their website and it looks lovely. I am so looking forward to galettes. Buckwheat is GF!

KGC, I have heard this too! I have read that the wheat used in Europe is often soft winter wheat. It may also have something to do with the different processing methods in France. I would imagine they don’t use as many additives like dough conditioners and preservatives to extend the shelf life as in the US. I would not try eating it if I was diagnosed celiac. I may have an occasional bite here and there.

I was very confused by the thread title. Why would anyone think the world capital of romance, Paris, would NOT be girlfriend-friendly?

I'll see myself out.

I know someone who eats gluten-free in North America but insists the European flour goes down fine. I'm skeptical but if you're willing to risk a reaction you could give it a try.

My question is, if non-celiac gluten sensitivity really is mainly a North American thing, how can a city such as Paris support so many gluten-free bakeries? (Google tells me there are around 20.) Celiac disease is pretty rare, surely these establishments can't all survive on tourists and/or rich people on fad diets? GF bakeries are more expensive than regular bakeries, and rarely as good. It's great to find a good one but it still isn't the kind of place you shop if you don't need to (IMO).

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a fairly controversial topic in the medical community, although knowledgeable doctors acknowledge that some people actually have it. People who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), very common in the population, may also benefit from low gluten diets. Perhaps European food availability is sufficiently protective to persons with IBS that the added benefits of reducing gluten become less important.

People with celiac disease MUST avoid gluten, in Europe and elsewhere. People with apparent non-celiac gluten sensitivity might find for whatever reason that traveling to other places provides them with dietary options that moderate the effects of gluten.